Banana-rack for cars.



B. S. DUFFY.

BANANA RACK FOR CARS.

APPLICATION TILED 001223, 1913.

1, 1 06,288. P ented Aug. 4, 19M

@ ea W Inventor Attorneys THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHUTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNIED STATES PANT QFFTCE.

IBURNLEY S. DUFFY, OF ELKTON, KENTUCKY.

BANANA-RACK FOR CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURNLEY SMITH DUFFY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkton, in the county of Todd and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Banana-Rack for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved rack to be uesd in connection with freight cars for the transporting of bananas and allied fruit stulf.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rack formed of a plurality of telescoping sections secured to the end partitions of the car and which are adapted to fold against the latter when not in active service.

A further object is to provide a plurality of sections foldable against the end parti tions of the car and which sections are formed of a plurality of strips spaced a distance apart so that proper ventilation will be had for the fruit stuff, and bananas in particular, which rest upon the racks.

A. further object is to provide a plurality of sections forming a rack secured to the end partitions of a car, which end partitions are the partitions of the ice containing compartment, the lower portion of which is removed so that the cooled air will pass below the said racks and due to the construction thereof will be directed therebeneath, the cooled air making its way upward through the perforated rack for the proper ventilating of the fruit stuff placed thereon.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention is illustrated, in which Figure 1 is a fragmental view illustrating in longitudinal section a box car with my improved folding banana rack positioned therein. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the folding rack with the various sections thereof extended. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view take on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in which simi- Specification of Letters I atent.

Application filed October 23, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4:, 1914. Serial No. 796,939.

lar reference numerals designate correspondmg parts throughout the several views, a freight car of the box type is illustrated in longitudinal section in Fig. 1 and includes the ice or refrigerating compartment 4, one wall of which is defined by the partition 5 and to which partition my improved telescoping banana rack is secured.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the banana rack is secured to the end compartment 5 of the car and when lowered rests flat upon the floor 6 of the car and extends to the center thereof. Thus it will be apparent that in each car there will be two of the folding racks, only one of which however will be treated in detail, it being noted that the two racks are identical in every respect.

The rack is made up of a plurality of telescoping sections, each one being the counterpart of the other with the exception however, that the sections are of relatively smaller dimensions so as to slidably fit one within the other. The ordinary rack contemplates the use of two sections, it being noted however, that a greater number may be used if it be so desired. The rack illustrated in Fig. 2 includes the section A and the section B which is adapted to telescope therein or therebeneath. The section A comprises the longitudinal beams 7-7, extending longitudinally between which are the cross strips 8 and which are rigidly secured thereto.

Extending transversely of the strips 8 are a number of longitudinally extending strips 9 which with the strips 8 define a perforated or reticulated surface upon which the fruitstufl's are placed and through which the ventilating air passes.

The longitudinal beams as illustrated in cross section in Fig. 3 include the side walls 10, the overhanging upper flanges 11 and the base portion 12, the latter being provided with the stepped portion 13 which acts as a guide for the longitudinal beams of the section B. The side walls 10 are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 14 which terminate adjacent the ends of the longitudinal beams and in which extend the pins 15 of the beams of the section B so as to properly limit the telescoping action of the two sections and preventing the accidental disengagement thereof.

The section B is somewhat similar to the foregoing and includes the longitudinal beams 16 and the strips 17 extending transversely therebetween. lhe longitudinal beams 16 are provided with the shoulders 18 which coact with the stepped portion 13 of the beam 7 of the section A and provide for the proper sliding motion between the two sections. Rigidly secured to the end of the section A are the hinges 19, which as illustrated in F 1, are secured to the partition 5 of the car. 'lhe hinges 19 are secured to the said partition a distance above the floor 6 or" the car and to the upper extremity of the said partition is secured the latch member 20 which is adapted to engage the extreme end of the rack when in its raised position as illustrated in dotted lines, and hold the same in such position. The partition 5 as will be apparent from Fig. 1, is provided with an opening in its lower eX- tremity, as at 21, which communicates with the space between the longitudinal beams 7 of the section A. Thus it will be apparent that the cooled air passing from the refrigerating compartment 4t makes its way through the opening 21 and beneath the section A which traps the cooled air therein as the said beams contact with the floor, the only escape for the air being to pass through the openings defined by the spacing of the strips 8 and 9 of section A and 1'7 of section B, it being noted in this connect-ion that the rack at the opposite end of the compartment is adapted to abut and contact with the end of the rack herein described. Thus the cooled air will pass beneath the racks and escape through the reticulated portions thereof to thereby provide for the proper ventilating of the fruit stuffs, usually bananas, which have been placed upon the rack to provide or insure that they will re main in a fresh condition during their transportation. JVhen the fruit stui'ls have reached their destination and the car unloaded, the racks are folded up against the end walls and locked in such position, allowing the car to be used for the shipment of merchandise or similar matter. The racks occupy but little room and in nowise diminish the capacity of the car.

Having thus described my invention, what claimed is:

l. A telescoping rack comprising a plurality of sections, the first section provided with means for hingedly securing the same to a supporting; structure, said sections formed with longitudinally extending beams ith upper inlying flanges, and inwardly extending stepped base portions, the side walls of the longitudinal beams provided ith outlying; longitudinally extending slots, outstanding pins carried by the longitudinal beams of the second section and slidably engaging the slots in the longitudinal beams of the first section, and a plurality of longitudinal and cross strips carried by said beams defining a reticulated surface therewith.

A rack comprising longitudinal'beams with upper inlying' flanges and inlying stepped base portions, said beams provided with longitudinal slots intermediate the said flange and base, a second rack slidably disposed within the first mentioned rack and including longitudinal beams with inlying upper flanges and inlying stepped base portions, the bases of the beams of the first and second racks held in sliding relation, the loneitudinal beams of the second mentioned raca provided with outlying pins engaging the longitudinal slots in the first mentioned longitudinal beams, and a plurality of longitudinal and cross strips carried by the said longitudinal beams and defining a reticulated surface.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BURNLEY S. DUFFY.

Witnesses H. H. BUTLER, E. W. V narrrnns.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaclaby addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

